Lotso's New Fate
by Me1222
Summary: What if things had gone a bit differently down at the dump?


It was a strange feeling. All the toys were back on their feet, back to their old ways. Only moments ago they were faced with being reduced to ashes. Yet now here they were, uttering among the garbage, making threats to an enemy not there. They spoke of punishing Lotso. Lotso, who Woody had only rescued from death minutes ago, who proceeded to almost kill all of them. It was funny. Woody always felt that as long as you did the right thing, it would always be ok. Well, as knowledgeable as he was about the world of toys and their place in the world, he was still a Woody. He was brave and kind, just like the character. Yet, this could cause one to mistake his kindness for weakness. Part of him was indeed burning angrily at Lotso. But it didn't want to kill him. Lotso was beneath them, beyond saving. He would be scared and alone by now, and it would be all his fault. Woody mentally pushed aside his last pangs of idiotic pity and straightened his hat.

"Forget it, guys. He's not worth it" he declared.

If he spent all day thinking about Lotso, he'd never get home. It was time to move on. Lotso was one thing and Andy was a whole other. Where was his kid now, Lotso had asked? At home, packing, worried sick. It was Woody's duty to get home along with the other toys. Nothing could stand in their way. There could be no more delays. Nothing was more important than just getting home as soon as possible.

That was what Woody thought. Yet, as soon as his eyes noticed a familiar streak of pink amongst nearby junk, they focused in on the vibrant spectacle. Indeed, it was Lotso, darting between junk, seemingly trying to find a way out of the junkyard. Without thinking, Woody came closer. Lotso turned, facing Woody, who was only a few feet away by that point. He stepped out into a clearing.

"Whatsamatter sherrif, gonna take out your anger about your kid's absence on me?" Lotso jeered.

"Oh boy, totally not worth it" Hamm sighed.

"Lotso, I have better things to do" Woody said, stopping in his tracks "I do have a kid to return to. A kid who cares about me. I don't know where you think you're going to end up, running about this dump. But I just wanted to say, good luck".

Lotso glared, still stepping back, albeit slower. Woody was certain that Lotso wanted to hit him quite hard but was simply too afraid by the group that Woody was in.

Woody begun to turn but suddenly, he pointed, alarmed.

"Lotso! Look out" he cried.

Lotso chuckled, a giant shadow looming over him, the sound of tires crushing gravel growing louder.

"C'mon now sherrif, that's the oldest trick in the-"

Lotso's sentence was never finished. Before he could focus on how close the sounds of the garbage truck were over the sound of his laughter, the tire crushed his left arm and leg and he fell to the ground instantly. Woody ran over and knelt by his side. Buzz came over too and the other toys followed shortly after.

"Well, what's keepin' you?" Lotso groaned "Don'tcha all have a kid to return to?"

"The man raises a good point" Mr. Potato head said.

"Potato head" Buzz snapped.

Woody pulled Lotso up and started walking away from the truck, dragging him with him. It was an easy task, given Lotso was missing half his limbs. Buzz decided to aid Woody in holding Lotso and he was no longer being dragged.

"I'm sorry Lotso but I can't just watch you rot in the junkyard like this" Woody said "We're not junk. We're toys. And we've got a job to do".

"So, anyone have any idea how we're heading back to that job then?" Hamm asked.

Buzz grimaced, then suddenly pointed at a familiar young man beside another garbage truck, a skull on his shirt and a loud tune passing from his lips.

It wasn't long until all the toys were back in Andy's room. Woody and Buzz helped Lotso into the box of toys that was to go into the attic.

"What, so I'm gonna just be some kid's broken toy now?" Lotso asked.

Woody frowned. Lotso was actually just going into the attic. It wasn't the best plan but... his thoughts were cut short. He heard footsteps and jumped into the box for college bound things. Buzz joined Lotso in the attic box.

Andy's mother walked into the room. She looked around, feeling melancholy waves of nostalgia. Lastly, she looked into the box of toys that would be going in the attic. Among them was a plump, pink teddy bear in need of repair. She didn't recall this toy but Andy had so many of them over the years, who was she to question? She felt that duty called and took the bear in her hand. She went downstairs, fetched her threads, her needle, her wool. Before long she was done and Lotso was as good as new... better, in fact, knowing that a human can indeed love a toy. She put him back in the box where he lay stunned.

"Daisy replaced me..." Lotso whispered "If she could do that, anyone could".

The other toys, not knowing the story, didn't know what to say. All of a sudden, Woody hopped in to join them then closed the lid.

"Woody? What do you think you're doing?" Buzz asked.

"Change of plan" he replied "Lotso, I'm going to show you that a kid can love a toy".

"And how long before I'm replaced? Thrown away? Neglected?" Lotso asked "I had a good thing going at Sunnyside".

"There are always people to pass toys down to when the time comes" Woody replied "And until then, a kid's love for a toy is neverending. Lotso, Daisy thought you were gone. She couldn't bare not having you, so she got a new one. That's all there is to it".

Later thar day, the box was open and Lotso lay on his back looking at open sky. Woody was underneath him. He heard somebody's speech coming to an end.

"Now you've got to promise to take good care of these" he said "They... mean... a lot to me".

A girl peeked into the box curiously and saw another toy still there.

"What about this one?" she asked.

The boy took Lotso out, exposing Woody, though he didn't take the time to look at him.

"I don't remember this one..." he said, staring at Lotso "Well, I remember hearing about it at least. Lotso Hugging Bear... he's new around these parts, so you'll have to make him feel welcome".

Lotso was set down next to the others. The girl peeked back into the box at the final toy that was going to be taken out of the box that day. 


End file.
